Drying and surface-finishing paper.



0-. E. POPE.

DRYING ANDSURPAGE FINISHING PAPER.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 15, 1913.

,P m m/ mm W W; I B Q WITNESSES.-

A TTORNEY.

0.. E. POPE.

DRYING AND SURFACE FINISHING PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1913.

Patented Oct. 13, 1914. QSHEETS-SHEETZ.

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JNVENTOR, JMr-zwzrPa ve,

ATTORNEY.

G. E. POPE. DRYING AND SURFACE FINISHING PAPER.

APPLIGATION FILED DBO. 15, 1913.

1,1 18,9089 V Patented 00a. 13, 1914.

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(L E. POPE,

DRYING AND SURFACE FINISHING PAPER.

APPLIOATIONIILED DEO.15,1913.

1,1 13 86, Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES: 4 //-2%'2/ w 1 WWW% Q m untrue STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. POPE, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-EIFTHS TO JAPANESE TISSUE MILLS, 0F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

DRYING AND SURFACE-FINISHING PAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

App1ication filed December 15, 1913.

Patented Oct 13, 1914. Serial No. 806,788.

To all 111710121.- it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnxmins E. Porn, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Idassacliusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Drying and Surfacediinislting of Paper, of which the follov'ting is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for drying and finishing paper in the drying and finishing portion of paper making apparatus for making paper in a continuous web.

The invention consists in a new process and apparatus by which the drying and finishing is accomplished simultaneously, so that when the web has passed through the drying means its surface and structure will be suitable for printing and many other purposes without subsequent calendering, and superior in many respects to calender-ed paper; furthermore, the drying power of the drying portion of the machine is increased. Furthermore, I provide that the web shall be taken from the felts and carried through the drying and finishing portion of the apparatus with little or no occasion for hand manipulation, as the danger of breaks to the paper after passing through the wet end of the machine is much decreased and, moreover, the web after a break, will pass along through my apparatus almost automatically, with little or no need of skilful manipulation, even in the case of the manufacture of newspaper at high speed, so that the speed capacity of the entire machine is much in creased and the cost of the drying and finishing portion is decreased.

My new apparatus and process is rendered clear by the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings :Figure l is a side elevation including the forward portion or wet end of a paper machine and the drier drums in conjunction with which drums novel means for the carrying out of the objects of this invention are provided. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View of one of a series of devices comprised in the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of apparatus. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, r A represent rotary hollow drums arranged in upper and lower tiers with their axes horizontal,the axes of one set or tier of the drums being here shown, coincident with vertical lines midway between the axes of the other tier of drums, such drums having means for the introduction and exhaust of steam thereinto, not herein shown, but as usual in the driers forming part of a paper machine and preferably so to give steam at a higher pressure to the first drum than to the others; for instance, as set forth in my Patent- :/:/:1,022,379 and with means to drive the first drum at the speed of the felts and the others at a slightly higher speed, for instance, as set forth in my Patent #1,022,378. These drums should be made with the surface smoother than is found on the cast iron drums commonly used in paper machines. As the drum has a part to do in the work of finishing the surface of the paper, I prefer to make the drum of cast iron or steel and finish it with such care that itwill have a surface almost as smooth as the ordinary calender, the drum being, in the casting, produced as free as practicable from blow holes. In operation, care should be taken to keep the drum as clean as possible, as a coating decreasesits drying capacity and its effect in smoothing the surface of the paper. This cleanliness is much easier to maintain if the original surface is thoroughly.smooth and true. I prefer to place the second drum at a sufiicient distance from the first for convenience in handling the web, the'usual distance of 8 inches between the drums at the nearest point being sufficient, but as to the subsequent drums I prefer to place the upper and lower tiers of drums close together; so close that the lower part of the upper tier of drums is well below the level 0 the upper part of the lower tier of drums. The drums may be brought together within an inch at their-nearest points to advantage, which decreases the gap from drum to drum so that the web will run from the lower drums to the upper drums more readily in starting, and after breaks, and moreover the extent of contact of the web with each drum will be materially increased.

B represents a sufficient portion of what is termed the wet end? of a Fourdrinier paper machine'to show its cooperative relation to the drier drums, the same comprising roll-guided felt aprons a and a for the supplying of themoist web to the advance feeding action of the drums. It will be noted that the web is here shown as transferred automatically from the felt (a) to the first drum.

In conjunction with the drums are provided endless felt aprons or blankets D and D guided by the sets of rolls d and 0Z and having, by loop-like portions (8 d thereof partially embracing relations to and in contact against the drums except preferably the first for assistance in carrying the web through the drier in the usual manner, it being here noted, however, that certain of the guide rolls particularly designated by d adjacent the drums and by which the aprons 'are, in part, guided, are located inwardly beyond horizontal planes coincident with the axes of the respective set of drums, thereby leaving as little as possible of the surface of the drums uncovered by the felt aprons. Furthermore, certain of these guide rolls (Z are preferably notset in a vertical plane midway between the adjoining drier drums, but the guide rolls d for the apron of the upper tier of drums have their locations nearer to the upper tier drums which are next forward of the adjacent lower tier drums than to such upper tier drums as are to the rearward of the respectively adjacent lower tier drums, thus making the gap to be traversed by the end of the paper in passing upwardly from the lower drums to the upper drums in starting, after breaks, smaller. And I prefer to make the felts of wool rather than of cotton now commonly used in the drying portion of paper making machines.

F F representa plurality of rolls in peripheral proximity to several of the drums, there being preferably one of these pressure rolls for each and-every drum excepting the first drum to which .the paper is brought. In practice each roll F is made with a metal core or body 6 and a covering f of suitable thickness, of compressible material, such as elastic or semi-elastic rubber or a compound thereof. These rolls are adapted to have pressure bearings toward the drums adjacent thereto, but in continuous and direct contact against the portions of the aprons in partially encircling relations to the drums, whereby indirect pressure is exerted against the web of paper :0 which is progressively moved under the coaction of the drums and aprons and which is protected against rupture by the latter.

Means are provided for imparting a pressure bearing to each of the rolls F in a direction toward the drum which is adjacent thereto and in direct contact against the proximate portion of the apron, it being especially desirable that said means shall be adapted for variations of the pressure of the rolls for the acquirement of different qualities in the result as may be variously desired, but the pressure should not be so great as to crush the fibers of the paper as is usually done by calenders.

As specifically shown, each pressure roll F is journaled or mounted for rotation in and between the free ends of pairs of pivoted bars 9 9, such free ends of the bars having lateral projections It. And in conjunction with or appurtenant to each of the pressure rolls, F, mounted as described, is a shaft G, the axis of which is parallel with that of the pressure roll and adjacent the drier drum. The ends of the shaft are suitably supported for rotation in the opposite side portions of the machine frame, and cams Z, preferably in the form of eccentrics, are affixed on the shaft G near its journal supports for coaction against the projecrollers toward the drier drums and against the cylinders by the turning of the hand wheel G A set screw 7' or other equivalent means is provided for detachably confining the shaft against rotation after the same may have been adjusted.

In conjunction with the drier drums, scraper blades, m or doctors as they are sometimes termed in the art, are employed in the usual manner for preventing,especially when the forward end of the web is led into the drier, or in case of breakage,- the web from moving too far around and becoming wound up on any of the drums. The arrangement of these doctors is such as to materially assist in leading the paper from one roll to the next in case of breaks.

In carrying out the object of the invention, by means of the apparatus shown and described, the web coming from the Four-- drinier machine, by the carrier aprons a, (r'i is advanced to adherence upon and to be fed by the first one at the left of the drier drums. and thereby carried partially around the same to be thence guided to and partially around the successive drums of both upper and lower tiers and having the greater portion of the running length thereof lIIClOHOtl within, as by a temporary wrapping, portions of the aprons which are in proximity to, and which partially encircle the drums: and the rollers F F exerting a rolling pres sure continuously against portions of the aprons which are in proximity to the drums,

as successive portions thereof are brought tion and loss of. material.

to the latter, and in a direction to be resisted by the drums, impart through the mediums of the aprons a pressure against the web which forces it firmly against the peripheral surfaces of the drum which is smooth and glass-like, with the result that the paper partakes of such smooth character so as to render the paper of completed character and suitable for printing and other uses without the requirement of subsequent calendering.

It is to be observed that by this apparatus one surface of the paper to be dried is pressed against the -surface of the upper tier of drying drums, and the other surface of the paper to be dried is pressed against the surface of the lower tier of drying drums. Accordingly, as the paper passes along through the drying drums irst one surface of the paper is pressed against the first drying drum of the upper tier of drying drums and then the other surface is pressed against the surface of the first of the lower tier of drying drums, and then the surface which was in contact with the first upper drum is pressed against the next drying drum of the upper tier and so on through the tier of drums, with the result that there is a progressive finishing of the surface of the paper, in different stages of dryness, with each surface first in contact with a drum and then with the felt so that the finish of the two sides is substantially identical and very smooth, but not too glossy for printing.

The ordinary method of drying news and other paper which has heretofore been used, employs tiers of drums, but no press rolls like the press rolls F, F, above described, are used to cooperate with the drums in giving a final finish to the paper, and it is necessary that the paper be calendered after leaving the drying drums in order to give it a surface suitable for printing.

The original cost of calenders is considerable and they add to the length of the machine, moreover, breaks frequently occur at the calenders, stopping the production for the time and resulting in decreased produc- Furthermore, calendering though effective in producing a surface which will take printing is a crushing process which injures the strength of the paper and under certain well known conditions injures its appearance. My procis designed to save the original cost and space of calenders with little counterbalancing expense and to finish thepaper by means which do not crush its fibers-as to calenders. The resulting paper is different from paper finished by calendering'but equally satisfactory for printing. For certain purposes a calendered paper is demanded and in such cases calenders may be used in the usual ways after the paper has passed through my apparatus but in such case the use of my invention makes the amount of calendering required much less. Heretofore, paper has been made having one very glossy surface. In making such a paper a drying drum of very large diameter cooperating with press rolls somewhat similar to my press rolls F F has been used. These large drying drums move slowly so that the paper is quite dry after passing over the drum. The press rolls act only when the paper is at its wettest and rather to press the wet paper against the drum and cause it to leave the felt than for finishing purposes being much like the roll B which presses the paper against the first drum of my apparatus. The glossy surface'obtained by such apparatus is, in my opinion, due principally to the slipping of the paper upon the drum, as it shrinks in width in drying. Certainly the surface obtained is very glossy and unfit for printing, and 'is very different from the surface obtained through the progressive drying and finishing for which my apparatus is adapted. Even if in such glazing apparatus two drying drums of large diameterwere used, and the paper turned so as to present first one surface and then the other surface of the paper to a drying drum, the result of the use of such large diameter slow moving drums would not be the same as that obtained by my apparatus, because the result of finishing one side of the paper on the first drum when the paper is at its wettest, and the other side of the paper on the second drum when the paper is at its driest, will necessarily give a different finish to the two sides of the paper, and the finish will necessarily differ from that imparted by my apparatus. Therefore, the drying drums of machines operating according to my invention, must not be so arranged or operated that the paper will be completely dried on the first roll, but on the contrary the size and number of the drums and the speed of operation must be so related that the paper will be gradually dried and finished on its passage from drum to drum, each surface receiving several different treatments.

I have found this process herein described well adapted for the drying and finishing of tissue paper and also for heavier papers such as are used for printing, but I donot confine my invention to apparatus to exert a pressure directly as it is possible in the case of papers of sufficient strength to finish the paper satisfactorily if the rolls F F are arranged to press indirectly on the paper, as in the modified apparatus shown in the drawings, Figs. 4 and 5.

I claim 1. The combination with each tier of the tiers of hollow rotating drier drums and endless aprons of the drying portion of a paper making machine, of a plurality of pressure rolls arranged to press the web of paper against a plurality of the drums of each tier.

2. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum and means for imparting a pressure bearing to each of 'said rolls in a direction toward the drum adjacent thereto so as to press against the surface of the drum the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

3. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, endless aprons in partially encircling relations to drums of both tiers, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum and in contact against the endless apron and means for im arting a pressure bearing to each of sai rolls in va direction toward the drum adjacent thereto so as to press, through the medium of the apron, against the surface of the drum, the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

4. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in apaper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums, an endless apron portions of which respectively have partially encircling relations to the upper portions of the upper tier drums and to the lower portions of the lower tier drums, and guide rolls for the looped portions of said 'aprons between the drums, those for such portions of the apron for the upper tier of drums having their locations nearer to the upper tier drums which are next forward of the adjacent lower tier drums than to such upper tier drums as are to the rearward'of the respectively adjacent lower tier drums, rolls individual to and adjacent drums of each tier and in contact against portions of the aprons in engagement around the drums, and means for imparting a pressure bearing to each of said rolls in a direction toward the adjacent drum.

5. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiersof paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper sothat one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, endless aprons in partially encircling relations to drums of both tiers, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum and in contact against the endless apron and means for imparting a pressure bearing to each of said rolls in a direction toward the drum adjacent thereto so as to press, through the medium of the apron, against the surface of the drum, the web progressively moving between such roll and drum, which means includes provision for varying the pressure bearing of the roll.

6. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the uppertier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum, a support for each of said rolls on which it is movable in a direction toward the drum adjacent thereto, and means for forcing each said roll so asto press, against the surface of the drum, the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

7. In a drying and finishin apparatus comprised 111 a paper machine, t1ers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a' drier drum, a support upon which each of said rolls is journaled in fixed bearings and which support is movable in a direction toward the drum to which its roll is adjacent, and means for forcing each said movable roll support so that the roll journaled thereon will press, against the surface of the drum, the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

8. In a drying 'and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, t1ers of paper advancing and ,drying drums arranged to feed-the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, a plurality of pressure rolls having yielding surfaces for each tier ofdrums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum and means for imparting a pressure bearing to each of said rolls in a direction toward the drum adjacent thereto so as to press against the surface of the drum the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

9. In a drying and finishing apparatus agiaaoos comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, a pluralityof'pressure rolls for. each tier of drums each in peripheral proximity to a drier drum, shafts journaled parallel with the rolls having cams thereon coacting with said rolls, and means for rotatively ad'- justably moving said shafts.

10. Ina drying" and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one tions.

11. In the drying portion of a papermaking machine the combination with a plurality of drying drums arranged in two tiers, those of one tier being arranged opposite the-spaces between those of the other tier and closely associated together, the lower part of the drums of the upper tier being well below the level of the upper part of the drums of the lower tier, endless aprons cooperating with said drums, scraper blades arranged to compel the web to leave the lower drums and direct it to pass around the upper drum next in advance of the respective lower drums, such scraper blades being inclined rcarwardly and terminating above the level of the bottom portion of the upper drums and between such drums and the por-' tion of the coiiperatingapron to the rear thereof.

12. In the drying portion of a paper-making machine the combination with a plurality of drying drums arranged in two tiers, those of one tier being arranged opposite the spaces between those of the other tier and .closely associated together, the lower part of the drums of the upper tier being well below the level of the upper part of the drums of the lower tier, endless aprons cooperating with said drums having loop-like portions arranged between the drums of said tiers, which looplike portions are deflected from a perpendicular, and inclined scraper blades arranged to compel the web to leave the lower drums and direct it to pass around the upper drum next in advance of the respective lower drums, such scraper blades being inclined rearwardly and terminating above the level of the bottom portion of the upper drums and between such drums and the portion of the cooperating apron to the rear thereof.

13. A drying and finishing section of a paper making machine comprising means for pressing the moist web of paper while.

on the felt against the first drying drum and thereby transferring said web to said drum, a hollow first drying drum and means for rotating the same at substantially the speed of the said felt, means for supplying heat to said drum, two tiers of other hollow drying drums arranged so that each drum is in close proximity to that next to receive the paper web and means for rotating them and means for supplying heat to them, two endless aprons, one to cooperate with the subsequent drums of the upper tier and one to cooperate'with those of the lower tier and means for causing the same to move in partially embracing relation to the said drying drums and at substantially the speed thereof and press the paper between them and said drums and direct it around the same, scraper blades arranged to prevent the paper from proceeding too far around a drum, a plurality of pressure rolls for pressing the web of paper against a plurality of the drums of each tier.

14. A drying and finishing section of a paper making machine comprising means for pressing the moist web of paper while on the felt against the' first drying drum and thereby transferring said web to said drum, a hollow first drying drum and means for rotating the same at substantially the. speed of the said felt, means for supplying heat to said drum and heating it to a temperature hotter'than the subsequent drying drums; two tiers of other hollow drying drums arranged so that each drum is in proximity to that, next to receive the paper web and means for rotating them at a speed slightly greater than that of the first drying drum and means for supplying heat to them at a temperature different from that supplied to the first drying drum, two endless aprons, one to cooperate with the subse' quent drums of the upper tier and one to cooperate with those of the lower tier and means for causing the same to move in partially embracing relation to the said drying drums and at substantially the speed thereof and press the paper between them andsaid drums and direct it around the same, scraper blades arranged to prevent the paper from proceeding too far around a drum, and a plurality of pressure rolls for pressing the web of paper against a plurality of the drums of each tier.

15. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to .feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with-one-half of the drums and the other surface in .direct contact. with the other half of the drums, a plurality of pressure rolls for each tier of drums, each in peripheral proximity to a'drier drum, and means to press each of said rolls toward the drum with which it is associated, so as to press against the surface of each drum, the web progressively moving between such roll .and drum, with a runningand condensing pressure, to imparta surface finish to the same before said paper is entirely dry:

16. A drying and finishing section of a paper making machine comprising means for pressing the moist web of paper while on the felt against the first drying drum and thereby transferring said web to said drum, a hollow first drying drum and means for rotating the same at substantially the speed of the said felt, means for supplying heat to said drum, two tiers of other hollow drying drums arranged so that each drum is in close proximity to that next to recelve the paper web and means for rotating them and means for supplying heat to them, two endless aprons, one to cooperate with the subsequent drums of the upper tier and one to cooperate with' those of the lower tier and means for causing the same to move in partially embracing relation to the said drying drums and at substantially the speed thereof and press the paper between them and said drums and direct it around the same,

guide rolls for directing said apron arranged so that the gap passed by the paper in passing from the apron of the lower tier to the apron of the upper tier is less than that passed by the paper in passing from the apron of the upper tier to the apron of the lower tier, and scraper blades arranged to prevent the paper from proceeding too far around a drum.

17. The method of drying and imparting a surface finish to a web of paper in the course of its manufacture which consists in producing a moist web, feeding the web for a forwardly progressive movement in peripheral contact successively against a plurality of cylindrical heating bodies and imparting running and condensing pressures against the web at different portions in the running length thereof, while such different portions are in increasingly lessened conditions of moisture.

18. In a drying and finishing apparatus comprised in a paper machine, two tiers of paper advancing and drying drums arranged to feed the moist web of paper so that one surface shall be in direct contact with the drums of the upper tier and the other surface in direct contact with the drums of the lower tier, endless aprons in partially encircling relations to drums of both tiers, a plurality of pressure rolls for a tier of drums each pressure roll in peripheral proximity to a drier drum of such tier and in contact against the endless apron and means -'forimparting a pressure bearing to each of said rolls in a direction toward the drum adjacent thereto so as-to press, through the medium of the apron, against the surface of the drum, the web progressively moving between such roll and drum.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. POPE.

Witnesses:

G. R. DRISCOLL, DAVID L. CORNELL. 

